Hispanic leaders say ending 'Dreamers' program will affect economy

SAGINAW, MI -- Moments before the official announcement from U. S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions ending the Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals program, two Hispanic leaders from Saginaw County stood at the corner Court and Michigan with signs in protest.

Raymond Bobby Deleon, president of the Mexican American Council and Gilberto Guevara, vice commander of the American G.I. Forum, said they would like to see the DACA - or the Dreamer's program - maintained.

The Justice Department announced on Tuesday, Sept. 5, that the program that allowed undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children to remain in the country, will stop considering new applications for legal status dated after Tuesday, according to the Trump administration.

"It's unfair to our young people because they are the future of our American economy," Guevara said. "They are employed here, they go to school here. This is the future of this country."

DeLeon added that the economy will fall rapidly if people are deported.

"I don't know if this president knows it or not, but they're standing on quicksand," DeLeon said.

Congress has a six-month window to try to save the program - which was created by President Barack Obama in 2012.

According to Sessions, the Trump Administration will allow any DACA recipients with a permit set to expire before March 5, 2018, the opportunity to apply for a two-year renewal.

DeLeon said that young people who are a part of the program are worried.

"If these young people are deported, is Mexico going to accept them?" DeLeon asked. "Where are they going to go? How is that going to affect our colleges? How is that going to affect our public schools?"

The Statue of Liberty on Ellis Island is considered a welcoming sight to immigrants arriving to New York, but Guevara said the statue should have been built on wheels.

"It only faces east to Europe," Guevara said. "The Statue of Liberty should be on wheels so she could face south and west and show that we welcome people from everywhere."

Both men said that they want to show that DACA works and are interested to hear Gov. Rick Snyder's view.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Snyder said Michigan is at its best when it is diverse and called on Congress to act quickly to authorize and clarify the status of those under DACA.

"In Michigan, we will continue to honor everyone's journey who has become part of our family of 10 million people, and remain the most welcoming state in the nation for immigrants and dreamers seeking prosperity, a home and a community that is accepting of their family and their desire to succeed in America," Snyder said.

Guevara and DeLeon plan to gather with a larger crowd at 4:30 p.m. again at the intersection of Court and Michigan after a march from Johnson and East Genesee.